The "Martha Stewart" of
the 1940s and 50s, Kate Aiken
was a household name in
Canada, dispensing practical,
down-to-earth advice in
newspaper columns, books and
radio broadcasts.
Born and raised in
Beeton, Ontario Aiken
achieved success as a female

entrepreneur who ran a
successful chicken farm and a
luxury food business. She
achieved fame as a domestic
entrepreneur, cook, beauty
and women's lifestyle guru
and radio broadcaster.
From 1945 to 1957,
Aiken's three radio
broadcasts a day were so

popular that every year she
received 260,000 letters,
made 150 speeches and needed
22 secretaries on staff to
organize her workload. Kate
was also a prolific author,
writing advice in newspaper
columns, pamphlets and books
in response to the needs of
her listeners. She also

authored 52 cookbooks.
As a journalist, Aiken's
achievements were not
confined to the domestic
arena. Over the course of her
career, she interviewed
Hitler, Mussolini and the
Pope, reported on the
uprisings in Kenya, narrowly
escaped detention in the